The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1887-12-28
A Plea For The Birds.

/ nave reaQ & GO0O deal 2OOGS Ine
damage done in late years by cninch
bugs, army worms, curculio. boxers and
other insects TOO numerous TO men
tion;" but few of the writer's seem TO
think or be conscious OF the real reason
for the increasing number and harmful
ness Of these pests. Bat we 10 not have
TO go far to find the reason. and II IS
found in the widespread and outrageous
destruction of our birds. Think of tho
enormous number Of small biNls re-
quireG to deck ladies' hats nowadays:
and of the ruined crops of hundreds Of
farmers and fruit growers in the United
States, and ask if the latter is not the
result of the former. OF course It is: no
one will or can dispute it. What is to
be donep Something: and no time
should be lost in doing It. The Anleri-
can Humane Society is, I think, doing
a good work in this direction, and
would in time blot out the bird-killirg
business, especially as an adjunct to the
millinery trade OF the country; but II
cannot work a reform soon enough TO
satisfy the pressing necessities of the
agrieultura! interests. We must appeal
to law to stop this indirect hatching anu
raising Of myriads OF insects to destroy
the crops of the farmer, fruit grower
and market gardener.
do not think law against catching
birds would do mu-a good, for 1t would
not be enforced; but ] think 4 law pro-
hibiting milliners, both wholesale and
retail, from handling these ghostly orna-
ments would have the desired effect and
with such law we might, in time, have
our BIRDS as plentiful and useful as they
were few years ago, before this bloody
war on them began.
But small birds are rot the only in
sect eaters that are being exterminateo
for frivolous purposes. The prairie
chickens are falling by the thousand ov
the ruthless hand OF the market shooter
that vile blot upon the human race;
cruel as fend; grasping as mIser;
law as sloth; bralnless as an idiot, and
for harmfulness ranking next to the
devil himself. Why allow this lo'Y-EreG
specimen of humanity to ply his das-
tardly and destructive work under the
very nose OF the farmer ne is injuring?
Why not send him to the poorhouse.
asylum or penitentiary, where ne could
be kept with much less expense to the
farmers, who are now supporting MIN?
. But here is point that puzzles me.
Is it the shot, the blood, the broken
bones. or the feathers, that makes pral-
RE chicken meat such . dei;cacy? II
tame fowl were brought on the table in
the condition in which the prairie
chicken is usually served, it would be
considered entirely unfit to eat; so J
don think the epicurean public would
lose much if prairie chicken shooting
should be prohibited by wrne year
round, ,for-Sc least I'VE years, and longer
1.-THE birds were not plentiful enough II
the end of that time. think there
would be little or no objection TO such
law Every sportsman IN the United
States would like It, and of course every
farmer would commend it; even the
market shooter would endorse il if ne
had brains enough to comprehend rs
advantages, for now he can hardly earn
fifty cents a day, owIngto to the scarciiT
of game, while tive years OF tbs !aw
would be likely 10 leave I l!ocA OF the
birds or every ten-acye I". Don't sar
shey would iniure Tic ccGvs iAcn; surely
nc candid person ca ;:IilN thar. From
April ist to July l3t;, there is 20 grain
for them to cc;, Sc ,!l;g.!g ;i:;it tine
they are waging = w;:i o cX,cc'uj&a-
tion upon :: great ma1" i;.:i,s II harM-
ful insects. and when III" .cr:,'n does
come they still prefer l:;>ve:s ioc tue
most Of their food, an! oaiE n.c!l 4 iiti:e
grain to season the insects that. but for
them. would do more damage on ~
acre than the birds woGli: &n Oh ten.
Then the grain is harvested inside OF
TWO weeks after j; becomes ea,abie ior
them, when they have 70 fall back on
insects again.
Now here IS chance for some law
maker 70 cover himself al over with
glory. Who Will come TO the fcons and
save the farmers crops from the ravages
Of insects. and the birds from the merci-
less hunter?-J K DC Broom, ;'S f'uI'":,
Stock aNG HG1:t=.
Miss Young blood Of Columbus, Mss
tNTi hsTN